Education Program
The Trust sponsors young people from the area at second and third-level education institutions within Malawi. Many Trust sponsored students have completed secondary school and some are continuing their studies at The University of Malawi. Nursing,
accountancy, journalism, health sciences, and agricultural economics are amongst the degrees currently being pursued. Ongoing training and capacity building amongst the staff at the clinic continues.
Under Fives Supplementary Feeding Program
More than 50% of all patients presenting at the clinic are under 14 years old. Children who have been identified by the medical team as being at risk of severe malnourishment are given Likuni Phala, a fortified high energy cereal type food. The food distribution takes place at the clinic on Tuesdays and Fridays. The children are brought to the clinic and assessed on a weekly basis. This program is funded by the Trust, supported by Dutch friends of the clinic.
Family Planning Services
A comprehensive family planning service has recently been initiated at the clinic. Working with Banja La Mtsogolo a local reproductive healthcare organization all aspects of family planning and reproductive health care available to the community. This addition to the clinic services has been welcomed by the Malawi Ministry for Health.
School Health Program
Supported by Cavan County Council (Ireland) The Billy Riordan Memorial Clinic conducts a school health program in the local primary school. Due to the presence of Bilharzia in the lake many of the children in the area contract this disease. The disease left untreated has many side effects and causes anemia and growth retardation in young children.
Helminthic infestation is also common amongst the children. There are 1850 children registered in the local primary school. Bi-annual treatment of Bilharzia and other helminthic infections are carried out by medical staff from the clinic. This ongoing
the program has contributed greatly to the improvement of the general health amongst the children in the community.
About Billy
Mags Riordan came to the Big E in 2004 with a model of the village of Chembe, her story, and handouts. Inspired by her passion and dedication to this worthy cause, the Irish Cultural Center hosted fundraisers to support her work over the next several years. Each year we saw a larger audience and raised more money for Billy’s Malawi Trust. Visit her site at www.billysmalawproject.org
We established Billy’s Malawi Project USA in 2007 and hosted a reception for Mags Riordan to announce our official status. Since then we have conducted fundraisers with twice-yearly direct mailing campaigns, an annual race/walk and a Big E exhibit where we sell goods from the Malawian village. We have met with several organizations and individuals to tell Mags story and of the work of the clinics in Africa. We send donations received to Malawi for the purchase of medicine.
Billy’s Malawi Project USA is a 501 (c) 3 organization (EIN 20-8980832) aimed at assisting Mags Riordan and Billy’s Malawi Project. Thanks to the kindness of the Friends of Billy across the world, not only has the clinic been built, but also an inpatient facility has been constructed, preventative mosquito nets are distributed and monitored, integral medicines are obtained and a school is in the planning stage. Every penny counts towards survival. What may seem insignificant to us may be the difference of life to another.
